CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System Presents 2023 Nursing Excellence Awards

CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System recognized 46 nurses at the 2023 nursing excellence awards event on May 8. Recipients were nominated by their peers for professionally modeling the CHRISTUS St. Michael mission, vision and core values while driving quality patient outcomes and delivering excellent standards of care.

Organization-wide awards were presented to Nurse of the Year: Kelsie Bell, emergency services; Rookie of the Year: Keith Westbrook, rehabilitation services; Preceptor of the Year: Kenith Hanson, rehabilitation services, and Transformational Leader of the Year: Amy Backus, NICU.

Mollie Phillips, SICU, was chosen as the Nursing Daisy Awardee of the Year, and Lauren Greathouse, RCU, received the Nursing Sunshine of the Year Award.

“We are excited to acknowledge our 2023 Nursing Excellence Awards recipients for their contributions to our healthcare ministry and service to the community,” said Louise Thornell, chief nursing officer for CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System. “These recipients are great examples of inspiration, consistently demonstrating dedication to the wellbeing of others.”

Departmental-level awards honored 19 Nurses of the Year, 13 Rookies of the Year and 11 Preceptor of the Year.

“The professional excellence of our awardees lights the way for the future of health care and the continued provision of outstanding care, experience and outcomes for our patients,” Thornell said.

Departmental Nurses of the Year are Christopher Stafford, 3 South; Laura E. Deloach, 5 South; Karissa Shackelford, 6 South; Elizabeth Snelgrove, Atlanta; Patty Jones, Cancer Treatment Center; Stephanie Wakefield, Day Surgery; Mary Howard, Hemodialysis; Kelsie Bell, Emergency Department; Iris Bohun, Float Pool; Treasa Mills, GI Lab; Lauren Beckham, ICU; Brittney Webb, Labor & Delivery; Brittni Plunk, Mother/Baby/Pedi; Melissa Duncan, NICU; Billy Giles, PACU; Cheyenne Solley, PCU; Luke Carver, RCU; John Solley, Rehab; and Susan Dyer, Surgery.

Departmental Rookies of the Year are Alexandra Warren, 5 South; Penny Pyle, 6 South; Robert Bryan, Atlanta; Jared Oats, Emergency Services; Laressa Harris, Float Pool; Angel Espinoza, ICU; Hailee Collins, Labor & Delivery; Kaitlyn Kelsoe, Mother Baby/Pedi; Kylee Wyatt, PACU; Soad Awad, PCU; Haley Schauperl, RCU; Keith Westbrook, Rehabilitation; and Madison Gilley, Surgery.

Departmental Preceptors of the Year are Alicia Wicks, 5 South; Chase Stephenson, 6 South; Shyanna Cook, Atlanta; Susan Higgs, Emergency Department; Sarah Alexander, ICU; Melissa Frederick, Labor & Deliver; Breanna Jones, Mother Baby/Pedi; Meghan Harris, PACU; Grace Pennington, PCU; Edith Luna, RCU; and Kenith Hanson, Rehab.